The World's Strongest
by GodOfFighting
Summary: (Marco is a saiyan AU.) When King Butterfly shows up suddenly to his house one day, he learns a secret behind his family that changes everything. With the fate of the world and universe on his shoulders, how is he to juggle fighting inter-dimensional villains, demons, and trying to graduate high school with a jealous best friend and a stalker who keeps getting too close.
1. Chapter 1

"Uuuggghh, this is a nightmare." Marco said, taking a yellow pillow off his face. He was laying on Star's bed, his right arm in a caste that was signed and doodled all over exclusively by his best friend, Star. Marco sat up, irritation and disappointment evident on his face. "If I cant fight Jeremy, he'll say I wussed out and he'll never let me live it down."

Marco was frustrated, but he had no one to blame but himself. He had tried to show off and chop through several pieces of wood, and it ended up breaking his hand. He was just so over-confident and excited, he did it without thinking. Normally, he would've thought these things through, but when he was focused on fighting he just got so lost in it that he acted on nothing impulse.

"Pigtails, ponytails, pigtails, ponytails." Star said over and over as she used her magic to change her hairstyle repeatedly. Marco looked up at her her, eyes widening in realization.

"Wait a minute, Star. You have a wand! You can just, fix my hand!" Marco said, causing Star to stop changing her hair style and turn to him, with her hair a complete mess of braids.

"Yeeaaahh...that sort of spell's not really in my comfort zone. But if you like, I can give a pretty wicked set of pigtails." Star said, changing her hair one last time and showing him her style. Marco was about to say something else, but there was a knock at the door. Both the teens looked over as Marco's mom partially came in.

"Star, dear, have you-" she stopped as she saw Marco. "Oh, there you are Marco."

"Hey mom, what's up?" He said. She sighed, opening the door completely and stepping inside.

"Your father and I would like to speak with you downstairs." She said. Marco blinked, confused. As his mom left, Marco got up to follow her.

"Fix me later." Marco said to Star on the way out, pointing to her with a squint in his eyes.

He turned and quickly stepped down the stairs. He saw his mother sitting down just as she arrived in the living room, right next to his father. Both of them had an uncharacteristically serious look on their faces, and Marco immediately thought there was some bad news that they had to tell him. That was until he looked over to see a third person present in the living room.

Star's dad, the king of Mewni, was standing across the room, two knights by his side. He looked as serious as his parents did, which raised several flags in his head. Immediately, his thoughts went to Star.

"What's wrong? Does it have to with Star?" He asked before the people in the room had fully noticed his presence. In unison, everyone in the room turned to room.

"Young Marco, how are you today?" King butterfly said. "I'm actually here to talk to you, young Diaz."

"Me?" Marco asked, confused. King Butterfly gave one nod. "So it's not about Star?"

"No, it's not." The King said.

"Son, you may want to come sit down for a moment." His mother said, patting the area on the couch between her and his father. He blinked and stood there for a moment, before walking over and sitting down in confusion. King Butterfly sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

"I am going to tell you many things in the next few moments." He said. "Things that will first sound impossible, then they will shock you. Perhaps you will be angry for a while, but overtime you will understand."

"...uhh, what are you talking about?" He said. King butterfly took a deep breath and opened his eyes, making eye contact with the teen.

"I think that you're mother should start before I say anything." He said. Marco blinked, and faced his mom. She smiled at him before taking a deep breath.

"Okay, before I start, I need you to keep an open mind." She said. "And try not to...freak out, all right?"

"...all right." He said, still plenty confused. His mother gave him a small smile before continuing.

"My father was...he was not born on this planet." She said. Marco blinked for a second, not fully understanding what she had said for a few moments.

"Wait...what?" He asked, eyes widening. He had ever met his mother's dad, nor

"He was born on a planet too far for Earth's rockets to reach. No one was really sure how he was sent here or why, but he grew up on this planet, somewhere in China. He looked exactly like the people on this planet did, so it was easy to live here." She had started to go into the history of her father, but Marco still had one question to ask before she continued.

"Wait, wait, wait." He said, putting up his good hand. "Are you saying that...my grandpa was an...alien?"

"Well...yes." She said. "He came from a warrior race called the saiya people, or saiyans. He married a human woman, my mother. I'm half saiyan, and since your father is human, your one-fourth saiyan."

"...All right." Marco said quietly, setting his hand down. His mother took a small breath before continuing.

"But his life was anything but peaceful. He was a martial artist. I don't know if it was just him or his saiyan blood, but he loved three things above all in this world. Food, his wife, and fighting. He trained unbelievably in his lifetime, and fought in every tournament he could. Ever since he was a small boy, martial arts was his passion. All his life, he found true happiness in the ring."

"...I...think I know how he felt." Marco said, remembering the first time he fought Ludo's army with Star.

"I can see a little of him in you, you know." His mother said. "After a many years of fighting, he found something that completely changed his life. He was too strong."

"I was there when he realized it." His dad said suddenly. Marco blinked it surprise and turned to him. "I was a young boy on a family trip. My father had brought to the tournament as way of manly-bonding. In the ring was this spiky haired best of a man. The first person he fought, he threw a single punch all out and his opponent flew out of the ring. What was more surprising to me was the look of confusion on his face, which gave away to disappointment. From that point on, he never went all out. I was completely mesmerized by this man, and I never imagined I would one day end up marrying his daughter."

"Even after this, he still thought his strength wasn't reaching it's full potential." His mother said. "And he was right. He kept training and kept training. His strength, his speed, his power, skills, abilities. They were all unheard of to most humans of earth, which was made possible because of his saiyan biology. The things he could do were amazing. When I was thirteen, I finally saw him able to go all out against someone. I never got his opponent's name, but he was clearly not from this planet. Still, the battle they had...I can still feel chills of seeing the absolute destructive power they wielded.

I did not hold the same passion for fighting as my father did. I took more after my mother, an English women who almost loathed fighting or any kind of violence completely. I never understood how they fell for each other, they were nothing alike. Anyways, since I never went through any training or fought at all. But I know if I had done all that he had done, then I could have had the power he had."

"Just...how strong was he?" Marco asked. There was a moment of silence, and a look that was passed between the three adults in the room, before his mother spoke again.

"If the stories I heard from him were correct, and I had no reason to doubt him, by the time he was your age he had defeated an entire army, several demons, and...at one point, a fight between him and a rival of his destroyed the moon." His mother said.

"...wait...what?! Seriously?!" Marco looked between her and his dad. "You guys have to be joking."

"Marco," King Butterfly said, breaking the silence he had up until now, "I assure, this is no joke. When he was a mere boy, he had the power to destroy a the moon. The only reason you still have one is because my wife, the queen of Mewni, came and used most of her magic to make a new one."

"But...but I would've heard about this. There would at least be stories, if not videos or news-"

"There are." His mother said. "In China. Which no one takes seriously, since the moon was put back."

"This...this is really happening, isn't it?" Marco said, blinking wide-eyed. All the information had finally started to settle in. His mother gave him a soft look and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I've seen my father fight beings who could destroy this planet may times over, including a tyrant who was notorious for conquering and destroying planets all across the universe and beyond, a being who could heal from the deadliest of wounds. He even fought a being considered to be on the same level as a god."

"...I..." Marco said, lost for words, completely shocked. He looked at the ground, shocked and confused. "I need time to process this." His mother rubbed his back while his father grasped his shoulder.

"We were going to wait until you were eighteen to tell you all this. Your grandfather said it would be best if waited." His dad said. Marco's head was spinning, trying to wrap around what they were saying. He had gotten used to Star, but they were different. She was born on another world, one the had actual magic and stuff. On earth, stuff like this wasn't possible. But then again, his grandpa wasn't from earth either. What was to say what he was capable of.

"Young Marco, I understand you must be confused, but there is a reason I am here, and to why your parents have told you this." Kind Butterfly said, and Marco looked up at him. "Your planet, along with mine and countless others, are in danger."

"The...planet?" Marco asked. Kind butterfly gave him a curt nod as a response.

"As we speak, a villain is heading this way, the likes which you or Star have never faced before. He is going to be here soon and, although Star's magic is powerful, I fear even given a years time to train will not give her access to the power she needs to defeat this man." King Butterfly said. "Very recently I have met with the surviving members of the saiyan race. I believe that if you are to train under the different masters that I have gathered in this past month, you too will unlock the saiyans full potential."

"You must understand this Marco." His mother said. "This being is ruthless and evil to every degree. He cherishes nothing more than the absolute pain and suffering he can inflict on a people, and then he destroy an entire planet just for the smallest amount of resistance. If he is not taken down, he will continue to kill across the universe and beyond."

"...So...what am I supposed to do?" Marco said.

"You will be trained in the from of martial arts that your grandfather was taught by his master. You will learn all the things he was able to do, and unlock the power in yourself that comes with saiyan blood." King Butterfly said. "Understand this Marco. Your grandfather was able to do things that Star, nor my wife was able to do. While in terms of destructive force, him and my wife were all but equal. However, his speed and skills would have proved to much for my wife to handle."

"Wait...so he could...use magic?" Marco asked, eyes widening.

"...A form of magic, I suppose." King Butterfly said. "I did not receive his training, nor did he explain to me the force behind his, as he said 'ki attacks.' But from what I witnessed, it was extremely similar. I am not him nor his teachers, so I can not explain it to you, only recall what I witnessed."

"...Okay...okay, I think I'm finally getting this all." Marco said. "So, I have to train to fight this guy...who can destroy planets?"

"Son, I know how impossible all this must seem to you." His father said. Marco turned to him. "If I had not seen this power myself, I would not believe it either. But the threat is very real, and right now, you are our only hope."

"The hope of the universe rests on your shoulders now, Marco." His mother said. Marco looked down at the ground, the weight placed on him incredible. "This all seems to sudden, I know. But we wouldn't be doing this if we didn't have any other choice. I hate the idea of you fighting that monster, but there is simply no other choice."

"I understand...I think." Marco said. "It's just...a lot to take in."

"Marco, I know that we are putting you under an immense amount of pressure. You are very young, and most likely not prepared for this kind of responsibility." The King said. "But, if you do not defeat this villain...this universe _will_ die.

You have three months to prepare."


	2. Chapter 2

"Three months?" Marco asked, looking straight at the ground. "...*sigh* I can do it."

"I know you can, Son." His father said. "But are you sure you're ready?"

"...I have to be." Marco said. The fate of the universe, huh? That was some...pretty heavy stuff, yeah. In truth, he probably hadn't completely accepted what had been said to him, because he wasn't freaking out. He was probably just going crazy. That explained the rush of excitement he was feeling, and the smile he couldn't keep off his face.

"When you are ready, we will take you to Mewni, where I have gathered your masters. You will be taught and trained in secret, lest the other kingdoms think we're up to something." There were up to something. "One more thing, Young Marco." King Butterfly said. Marco looked over at him, able to keep his smile inside. "You can not tell Star about this villain. I fear that she will act impulsively, and try to fight alongside you, or even take him on herself, God forbid." Marco gave a single nod. So the villain was a guy. That was good to know. "She is a strong girl, her magic is strong. But she is simply not powerful enough to fight him."

"I understand." Marco said. The King of Mewni sighed, relief present on his face. He was silent for a moment, before a stern look crossed his face.

"Marco, make no mistake. The training you will receive will push you to your absolute limits. It will not be like the training your had for you 'karate.' It will cause you to bleed, and hurt. There will be times when you want to do nothing more than collapse and pass out, but you will not be allowed to do that. You can not take a single day, a single hour off. Your body will beg you for mercy, but you will continue. The next couple of months will be near inhumane." Marco looked at the king of Mewni, an understandable amount of fear rising.

"...That's not really comforting." He said. The king sighed and closed his eyes, a sudden weariness to his face.

"I'm afraid comfort is not a luxury we can afford right now." King Butterfly said, his voice betraying the amount of stress and lack of sleep he was under.

"...Should I go pack?" Marco asked. King Butterfly opened his eyes and gave the teen a single nod as a response. Without a word, Marco stood up from the couch and made his way to his room. He could feel the stares on his back as he walked, but he pretended not to notice what they were doing. He walked through the hallway and into his room in a silent daze. Star's room door was closed. Hopefully she didn't hear the conversation she had. He closed the door behind him, the door clicked in place, breaking the silence for only a second. He stood there, in the middle of his room, staying completely still save breathing. All of a sudden it was like the entire conversation caught up to him up at once. Marco took a deep breath...

...and respectively started to freak out.

" **AAAAH!** " He yelled, thankful for the closed door. "THIS IS CRAZY! WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?! I CAN'T FIGHT THAT GUY!" He started to pace back and forth furiously, rubbing the side of his head with his good hand. He had almost forgotten that his right hand was broken. How could he fight with a broken arm?! Star wouldn't even heal him!

Wait, Star. She had a wand, right? Why _wouldn't_ her dad tell her about this villain guy? She had magic, right? But it wasn't powerful enough to destroy a planet. Still, three months was a long time to train. She could probably get stronger in that time, just like he was going to. He didn't really like the idea of Star going up against that guy, but he didn't like the idea of him doing it either.

"Ugh, there must be someone else, right?!" He asked nobody, his volume down. "Someone who's already got this stuff figured out. This is too much for me to handle."

In the middle of his...small breakdown, there was a knock on his door, causing him to jump slightly. He knew it was silly, but for a second he thought it was that villain coming to get him before he posed a threat.

" _Marco?_ " He heard Star's voice yell from outside the door, slightly muted through the wood. " _I heard screaming. Are you okay?_ "

"Yeah, I'm fine!" He yelled back. "I just...stubbed my toe!"

" _Oh, boy, do I know how you feel._ " Star said, this time in a more mundane tone, as she started to tell him a story. " _Hold on, I'll tell you about it._ " The doorknob started to jingle as Star attempted to enter his room. Panicking, Marco ran to door and threw his body against the door, keeping it closed.

"Star, ask before you come in here!" Marco yelled, face red.

" _Why? I never had to ask before._ " She said. Marco's brain scrambled to find an excuse.

"I'm...in my underwear!" He said hastily. _What am I doing?_ He asked himself.

" _Oh, okay_." She said. " _You know you can lock your door right?"_

"Yeah, just...give me a second here." He said. He calmed as he heard her walk away, breathing out a sigh of relief. Why didn't he let her in? The answer was quite simple. She knew him too well. The second she saw him, she would figure out something was bothering him, and would eventually find out everything that was going on. Star's dad told him not to, even though he did not understand the reasons behind it at all. Well, he couldn't really blame the guy for wanting to protect his daughter. With a sigh, he realized that this was really going down.

"Well," He said out loud to himself, "If I have to do this, I'm giving it my all! No holding back!" He held a closed fist in the air in front of his face as he exclaimed this.

* * *

Twenty minutes later he was standing in the living room, two duffel bags set on either side of him on the ground. He sighed, waiting for Star to come downstairs so he could say bye. It started to dawn on him that he would have to spend the next three months away from his friends, his school, and his parents. He sighed, slumping his shoulders. He should be sad. After all, he wouldn't see them for three whole months. But for some reason that didn't bother him as much as it should.

"Marco!" He heard Star yell, as the sound of footsteps were making their way down the stairs quickly. Marco looked up to where her voice had come from when she jumped over the railing and landed in front of him. She straightened herself and looked him straight in the eye. You're leaving?"

"Uh, yeah." Marco said nervously. "Sorry for not telling you earlier. It was kind of last minute."

"Really?" Star said, tilting her head to the side. "My dad just told me that you were planning this for, like, a week."

"...r-right!" Marco stuttered, glancing at the King who had appeared behind Star. The King of Mewni gestured with his palms upward, as if to say : " _What was I supposed to do?_ " "I meant...the packing."

"...The packing?" Star asked, obviously more confused. Marco nodded a bit too enthusiastically, which thankfully Star didn't note. "Well, still! You should have told you you asked my dad to train you to be a knight!"

"...A knight?" Marco said, unsure. He hastily put together reasoning in his head. "Right! Yeah, sorry. I just...wanted to get stronger so I could fight monsters with you better."

"Well, this is awesome!" Star yelled suddenly, a wide grin overtaking her face. Marco blinked. "When you become a knight, we can kick even more monster butt!" Star turned to the side and started punching the air. Marco was silent for a moment, kind of relieved that she had bought what he said, and kind of worried that she was so gullible. Then again, she had no reason to doubt him. They were best friends, they told each other everything.

Great, now he was feeling guilty.

"Anyways." Star said, breaking Marco out of his train of thought. She turned to him, looking him straight in the eye, with a serious look that just didn't suit her. "Are you sure about this? You're gonna be gone for a while."

Marco was silent at that. Was he sure about this? That was something he had kept asking himself. The answer...of course not. How was someone supposed to be sure about something like this. But then again, he wasn't the type to act immediately. He liked to wait for the right moment to do things. He was a planner, Star was the one who would act on impulse. He really didn't have a choice, though. He would have to fight this villain, or die along with the rest of his planet, according to Star's dad and his parents.

It was literally fight, or die. He didn't have the time to think it over. Not if he wanted to save everything. Sighing, he gave Star the best answer he could right now.

"...Star...this is just something I have to do." He said. She had no idea. She had no idea of the danger she was in. Of the danger the universe was in. Of the danger he was in. It made him a little sick, having to deceive his best friend like this. But, like the fight...he really didn't have a choice. But he could be at least a little bit honest. "There are some things I'm not telling you."

"...Like what?" She asked. Marco looked straight at her, trying not to notice the panicked face of the King.

"...I have my own reasons for doing this. I can't tell you right now, but when I get back, I'll be sure to tell you why I'm doing this." Marco said. It was more of a reassurance to himself than to Star, but it helped. If only a little.

"...Okay." Star said. She gave him a small smile, but Marco could tell she was worried. "Just...whatever you have to do, do it. We'll talk all about it after you get back." Marco smiled at her. Even if she was impulsive and a little irritating at times, she was still his best friend. It was her friendship that pushed him closer to being stronger.

Star. His parents. Jackie. Alfonso. Ferguson. Even Janna, he guessed, although reluctantly. They were all in danger. He needed to give his all to protect them. Even if they didn't know it, they were all counting on him to become strong.

"Yeah. And then we can kick some monster butt." He said to her.

Star suddenly enveloped him in a hug. Caught off guard, he didn't move for a moment, before returning the hug.

"You better come back, too. I'm going to be bored without you." She said, breaking the hug. Marco nodded in return.

"I will. Don't worry."


	3. Chapter 3

Marco sat in the royal Mewnian carriage, next to the King and across from the two guards. No one spoke to the other,simply choosing to sit in silence. Marco stared out the window, seeing the castle somewhat in the distance. He hadn't really expected this ride to be as short as it was, but he wasn't complaining. Sitting in this awkward silence wasn't really helping him cope with this situation. He sighed, closing his eyes, wondered what kind of training. He thought about the old karate movies he used to watch. He was supposed to go on some internal spiritual journey, find his inner peace, right? Meditation, patience, and control of his emotions.

The carriage came to a stop in front of the castle gates. A butler opened his door and he stepped out, looking at the massive castle. It was difficult to step down without his right arm to help him balance, but he managed. The King followed soon after him, stepping out behind him.

"Come." The King said as he walked past him and through the gates. "You're master's are waiting." Marco followed, nervousness and anxiety taking over.

"If I can...what exactly are they like?" Marco asked. The King was silent. Marco blinked, waiting expectantly for an answer. He wondered what caused him to be as silent as he was.

"...They are strange, to say the least." The King said finally. "But they are powerful in their own ways. You might find putting up with their...quirks to be the best option."

"...Right." Marco said.

The King led him in through a large door into what seemed to be a sort of war room, stopping to his left. The walls were covered in specially designed weapons and maps, the table in the middle made out of a dark wood. It seemed out of place in the room made of metal. On top of the table was a strange marking, something similar to a Chinese character he once saw in a movie, and scrolls scattered all over the top. Instead of chairs, the table was surrounded by ridiculously small stools, almost down to the floor.

But what really confused him was the four people, set on the opposite end of the table from him. One was an extremely tall Chinese lady, her black hair tied up in a bun. She wore what seemed to be a dress of red silk, the sleeves much longer than they needed to be. Her eyes were closed, a smug expression on her face under a large amount of makeup. She didn't have any jeweler, though.

To her right was a short and bald elderly man, with a wooden stuff laid across his lap and a turtle shell strapped to his back. He wore a pair of sunglasses, but Marco could somehow sense the old man's gaze on the woman next to his left.

This lady seemed a lot younger than both of the previous people, yet older than him, maybe seventeen or eighteen. Her hair was an unusual shade of pink. She wore a pink t-shirt with the words "Girl Power" written over the top. However, it was a couple sizes too small, making it slightly revealing to her...larger than normal chest. She was talking to the person to her left, her body turned completely in that direction. Suddenly she jerked a little in her seat, her back curving. She quickly turned around and slapped the old man out of his seat. Marco jumped at the sudden action, shocked by what this lady just did.

"I didn't say you could touch me!" She yelled, to which a laugh came from the old man was laying on the ground. Marco blanched, staring at the three people he had just studied. The lady in the red dress scoffed.

"I can not believe I am forced to work with these pigs in human clothing." She said, her voice thick with annoyance. "I only hope that our student has at least some decency compared to you maggots and perverts."

"Hey, don't hate the player!" The old man said, picking himself back up.

"You're game stopped being sold years ago!" The pink-haired lady yelled with a red face.

"You peasants should feel blessed to be in my presence!" The lady in the red dress yelled, ignoring the other two. "This is the kind of beauty that should be worshiped by those as lowly as you."

 _Am I really going to learn from them?_ He thought.

"All of you are idiots." A new voice said. Marco blinked, finally looking to the fourth person in the room. He didn't seem that much older than him. He had spiky blonde hair and was only a little taller than the old man. His black jacket was too thick for the current weather, and it's neck came up just below his nose, so that his lips were hidden. However, Marco could tell by his eyes he was scowling at the people next to him. "Don't you have any sense in those small-ass brains of yours?"

That was when the King decided to clear his throat, getting the attention of all four people. In unison they looked at him, questioning looks in their faces.

"Hello." The King said. All their eyes were on him, looking as if they could stare right into his soul. "I would like to introduce you to Marco Diaz. The saiyan."

"He's young." The old man said.

"He's not very beautiful." The lady in the red dress said.

"He's cute." The pink-haired lady said, a twinkle in her eyes.

"He's defective." The blonde man said, eyeing at the cast Marco's arm was in. Marco looked between all of them, trying to find the right words to say.

"Ummm...Hello." He said, trying not let his nervousness show. And failing.

" _Awww_." The pink girl said. "He even sounds cute!"

"Back off him, perv." The blond one said, looking at the pink girl. She ignored him, tilting her head to the side and looking at him with an almost creepy stare.

"How old are you?" She asked, blinking rapidly. " _Blink-blink-blink, blinkety-blink-blink-blink._ " She said "blink" every time she blinked.

"Uh...fourteen." He said.

"When's your birthday?" She asked.

"...In two months." Her face fell in disappointment.

"Just two months." She said in an almost whisper. Her face quickly morphed into a mask of determination on, putting up a fist. Marco blinked, confusion filling him. He had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

"Don't mind her." The blonde man said. "She's an even bigger pervert than the turtle."

"I may be a pervert..." The old man ("the turtle", he guessed) said. He trailed off in silence, and all the people present stared at him, expecting more. "...That's it." He stated simply, then burst out laughing. The lady in the red dress groaned, somehow still sounding pretentious as she made the low noise.

"I can just feel myself getting uglier the more I'm around you people." She said, touching her forehead lightly with her middle and pointer finger. The blond man sighed, standing up.

"My name is Fujimoto. I'm British, but I don't have " He said. "I don't like anyone, so don't expect to be my friend. Right now, you're only useful thanks to your bloodline. Do not expect any special treatment from me. Do not call me Sensei or Master, as that would imply I was teaching you something. I am only using you as a tool for my own survival." The entire time he was talking, he kept a monotone. As if he was completely uninterested in what he had to say. Marco realized he was simply stating facts, no emotion or opinion behind it at all. He was too shocked to be offended.

As Fujimoto finished, he sat down, and the Pink girl stood up, almost jumping.

"My name's Pink, but you can call me Master Pinky when we're alone." She said with a wink. Marco blushed wildly at the hidden meaning in that. "I'm Korean, 18, I can lift over a ton, and I love eating!"

"All of the food she eats goes right to her boobs!" The old man said in excitement. Without the rest of her body moving, she raised one hand and slammed it on his head in a karate chop.

"I hope we can be great friends!" She said with a smile. "Or maybe even more!"

 _I don't know what to make of her_. He thought, gulping.

"Pay no attention to her, young one." The lady in red said. "She's an incurable pervert who's only limits are ages withing three years of her own."

So that's why she wanted to know his birthday.

"I am Lady Satsuki!" She stood up, he silk dress flowing. She bowed to him, and he quickly bowed back, not wanting to appear rude. She stood back up. "I am from planet Kera, and I am considered to be one of the most beautiful women on the planet. As such, I am close to royalty. I expect you to treat me as such, unlike these lowly peasants." She gave a hard stare at the people next to her.

"Uh...yes, Your Highness?" He said, unsurity clear in his voice. She bowed her head slightly.

"That is acceptable." She said in a pout. She sat down while the old man stood up.

"I am Master Roshi." He said. "That's it." He sat back down.

"These are the people that will be teaching you and helping you learn all the skills you will need to know." The King said. "Lady Satsuki is a master of ki energy. She will be teaching you how to master manipulation of ki in a that many martial artists still have not. Master Roshi will be teaching all the basics of Martial Arts, and some more advanced techniques if there is time for it. He is an excellent fighter."

Marco did not like the smile that suddenly appeared on the old man's face as those last words were said. The King continued to explain.

"Fujimoto will handle all of the weapons and tools you will need along the way. On top of that, he will come up with a personal training regime for you. Gauging your power level's rise and your body's stamina, build, and more, he will create the perfect training regime to get your body to a peak state." The blonde man reached into his pocket.

"Here, eat one of these." He tossed something at him. Marco caught it with his left hand, moving a little faster than normal just to stop it from hitting his forehead. He lowered his hand and opened it, looking at his palm. There was a single bean, colored green and black. He looked back up at the blond man with confusion. "It's a senzu bean. It heals all wounds and increases your stamina."

"...Is it magic?" Marco asked.

"Just eat it, boy." He said. Marco gulped nervously, but put the bean in his mouth. He chewed it only slightly, quickly finding that it was bland and tasteless. He gulped it down, and waited for whatever it was supposed to do. Without warning he felt a sudden rush of energy throughout his entire body, his heart immediately quickening. All his muscles flexed at once, including his right arm. The cast he was wearing broke completely as he straightened his arm. The pieces fell to the ground harmlessly.

" _Ooooh!_ " Pink said, her head on her palms and her elbows on the table, her head slightly tilted as she stared at the teen. Marco flexed his arm around, looking at it up and down. There wasn't even a bruise present. He wiped off all the debris from the now extinct cast and said nothing as he tried to wrap his head around what was going on.

"I find these things come easy in a pinch. You know, it can be annoying to wait for yourself to heal. But still, don't expect these to be with you 24/7, and don't use them for every little thing or else they lose their effect. As far as you're concerned, they're for emergencies only." Fujimoto crossed his arms and bowed his head with his eyes closed.

"Yeah, those little beans can get you out of quite the pickle. Of course, I myself have never had to use them." Roshi said with a sniff. Lady Satsuki scoffed.

"That's because you're so old and perverted no one wants to fight you, pig!" She said. The old man just laughed.

"Thank goodness you're all better!" Said a voice beside him. Marco jumped back in shock, looking to his left. Pink was standing beside him, her hands clasped together in front of her chest and a sparkle in her eyes. It was only now that he noticed two things. One, she was only a bit taller than him. Two...there was no way she was human.

"I...I didn't even see you move!" He said. She winked at him, and Marco just gulped nervously as a response.

"Pink will handle your combat training, giving you a killer instinct and mindset for fighting. Her method's are a bit...unorthodox, but effective." Pink's face suddenly morphed, the innocent yet needy smile gone. Her face looked more of that to a serial killer. That sadistic smile struck fear deep into Marco as she leaned closer to him.

" _Rule one of Pinky's training._ " She said in a whisper that chilled his bones, keeping him form moving. " _You do not talk about Pinky's training._ "

"Y-yes ma'am!" He said quickly, trying his best not to anger this demon in front of him. Pink leaned back, the same innocent smile form before taking stage.

"I look forward to reaching you!" She said, giggling. She skipped back to her stool and plopped down on it, staring at him intently. He swore he could see her practically drooling.

 _Sh-she has to be a monster!_ Marco thought to himself, gulping. He would have to spend three months with these people?

"Marco, my boy..." The King said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "...Good luck."

The King left without another word, closing the door behind him. Marco was now left alone in this room with these people, and Marco shuffled his feet nervously.

"...So..." Marco said, unsure of what to do. "...When do I start?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, Star!"

The blonde princess perked up at the sound of someone calling her name. She looked over her shoulder to see brown skinned, beanie wearing girl walk next to her. She didn't normally come around here in the morning.

"Hey, Janna." Star smiled at the brown-skinned girl. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, just in the neighborhood. Decided I'd pop by and mess with Marco a bit before I headed to school." SHe said."Speaking of, where is he?"

"Oh, right. He actually isn't here right now." Star said. Janna raised an eyebrow.

"He's not?"

"Nah, he went with my dad to some training." She said. "He should be back in two weeks and three days."

"Bummer." Janna said. "Well, at least I got you here...hey, Star?"

"Yeah?"

"How about a bet?"

* * *

" _This...is...the worst pain._ " Marco grunted through his effort.

"You wanna get stronger, you have to torture yourself to do so." He could hear the annoyed voice of Pink yelling over him, which did nothing to help his concentration. "300 pounds. That was the deal. If you can't do 100 push ups carrying 300 pounds on your back, you go for a 10 kilometer run!"

" _You're trying to kill me!_ " The young Hispanic accused the pink-haired woman above him. Yet he held himself with the large backpack of rocks on his back, trying to push himself through one more push up. His muscles felt like they were tearing themselves up form the inside, the fire of aching felt all the way down to his bones. His hands felt like they would break at any moment, and he could barely keep his eyes open. _Why didn't they let me change into training clothes?_ He thought to himself.

"So will this villain! If you think you're going to get any breaks you're sadly mistaken! THIS IS A FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND! IF YOU DON'T KILL YOURSELF TRAINING, YOU WILL DIE!"Pink had at some point went from regular tone to straight up yelling. In a fit of pain, Marco let out a loud yell. He struggled only fro a second more to keep himself up, but finally gave into his weariness and fell to the ground. He lay there unmoving and breathing uneasily, as the pressure on his back was enough to make breathing stood over him in silence for a second longer.

"...All right, take five." She said.

"Something's wrong?" Roshi asked the pink-haired girl. There were standing on a cliff far above Marco, watching as Satsuki attempted to explain ki to the young part-saiyan. It was obvious from the way he was looking he was completely lost on the subject.

"Of course something's wrong." She said, in an uncharacteristic seriousness. "Even if it has been only four days, we have not seen the improvement we need out of him. We're not getting anywhere at this pace."

"Hmm, that is a problem." Roshi said. The pair spent a moment in quiet contemplation. He was not advancing as much as they would like, that much was obvious. "...Something's holding him back."

"I know." Pink said. "I think it's the normal human's fear of pain. I-"

"It's not that." Roshi said. Pink looked at the old man in confusion. "Well, maybe a small bit, but it isn't the thing holding him back. If it was simply pain he would have gotten past this point at least."

"Oh? Well, what do you think it is then?"

"I think...we should have a spar."

"What? Look at him, on his own he could barely defeat a normal mewnian monster. What will this do for him?"

"Trust me. This boy is a martial artist, therefore you need to have a martial artists mindset." Roshi said as he tapped his temple.

"Whatever old man." Pink scoffed at Roshi. "If you think you can get him going, then by all means."

"Hm."

"What?"

"Can you leave?"

"What? Why?"

"I am seriously trying to focus on young Marco out there, and your voluptuous rack is quite distracting."

 **SMACK!**

"And so you and I shall have a friendly spar." Roshi said. Marco stood at attention, pretending not to notice the large red hand print on the old turtle man's left cheek. "Understand?"

"Um...yes, sir." He said.

"Sensei." Roshi reminded him.

"Oh! Yes, Sensei!" Marco yelled out of embarrassment.

"If you'll follow me, there's an empty area over in those woods where we can fight."

"Yes, Sensei!" Marco said, following the old man closely as he began to walk away.

Marco gulped as they continued there walk toward the spot Roshi wanted to fight, suddenly nervous. He didn't want to hurt this old man. Sure, Roshi was an experienced fighter, but Marco could tell just by looking at him that he was a frail old man. The young Hispanic boy twitched nervously as he thought about how to get out of this situation.

"Marco, listen closely." Roshi said out of nowhere. Marco blinked, and tried to pay more attention to the old man. "No matter what your enemy looks like, no matter how they appear, never underestimate them. You let your guard down, that's just asking to get killed."

"Uh...yes, sensei." Marco noticed a definite thickening of the woods around them.

"This existence is filled with unexplained things. Never assume that you are stronger or weaker than someone on appearance."

"Yes, sensei."

 _Did he read my mind?_ Marco thought in amazement. Roshi said nothing further, but complied to let the rest of the walk remain in silence. Marco still had unanswered questions, but he just assumed Roshi would not answer them.

For a couple more minutes they remained walking, not going as far where the would lose sight of the castle. Soon, they came into an open area in the forest, where there were all kinds of stray boulders and bushes, ranging in size from small to really small. Roshi walked to the middle of the clearing. Marco made to follow him, but Roshi put a single hand up with his back facing Marco, signaling the teenager to stop.

"Something has been holding you back in your training." Roshi said with his back still turned. Marco blinked. "You should be progressing normally, yet you are so far behind it's almost insulting. So, what has been holding you back?"

"...Well, I've been doing everything I've been told, Sensei." Marco said, barely remembering to put "Sensei" on the end of it. "It's only been four days."

"So? Four days, you as a saiyan should be far above what you are. Pink has been practically killed you in strength training. You can do around ten pushups with 300 pounds, but that still isn't anywhere you should be."

"Sensei, with all due respect, it's 300 pounds! No person can do that much!"

"...Oh, I see now." Roshi said, turning back to the teen. "It's not fear that's holding you back, it's disbelief."

"What?"

"Deep down, you still think all we're telling you is impossible. You aren't improving because you have nothing to improve to. No goal to surpass." Roshi started to take of his turtle shell and shed his jacket. Underneath, he was wearing a white t-shirt that exposed the old man's scrawny body. "Well, I shall give you one."

"Sensei Roshi, I don't think-"

" **Hm!** " Master Roshi grunted suddenly. The old man's body expanded unexpectedly, his scrawny limbs growing in size as his body grew taller and wider as well. In less than a second, the scrawny old man had been replaced by a huge muscular beast. Roshi now stood two feet over Marco, and was three times as wide. Roshi stepped quickly, which to Marco looked like a blur moving at him. Roshi stopped in front of the teenager, and Marco could accurately size him up. Which was "hella big."

"Uhh...Sensei? I don't-"

Before Marco could finish his objection, he was flying through the air. He could no longer feel his stomach, and he was close to passing out. His body hit the ground, and he rolled multiple times before coming to a stop.

Marco coughed, and attempted to push himself up with shaky limbs.

"That is an alarming amount of blood." Marco noted wearily.

"I'm sorry I had to do that." Roshi said, suddenly standing over Marco. "But this situation calls for harshness."

The elderly man pressed his foot into Marco's back, pushing the teen back onto the ground.

"Throw aside your fear! Your disbelief! You're in a race against not only time, but your own body! You can't afford to be held back by those things!"

Roshi removed his foot and picked up Marco by the back of his shirt, tossing him to the right. He hit the ground and tumbled, possibly breaking several bones.

"You must learn to adapt and move past the familiar, the 'safe.' It is not fear of death, but the fear of danger that is your biggest enemy." Roshi said. Marco twitched, in too much pain to move.

 _These people are trying to kill me_. He thought. He attempted to move, but even a small shift was enough to send pain through his entire body.

"I apologize for this, but you will have to suffer some more." Roshi said. "It's essential to your training. I will allow you to heal only when at a near-death state."

 _W-What?_

* * *

"Gotcha!" Star yelled, blasting a ray of light from her wand. A cage of magic formed around a sitting duck who was innocently wallowing in the pond. The animal splashed and quacked in protest, moving wildly to get away. Star picked up the bird and moved it over to a large pile of already caged ducks, who were all equally protesting.

"Wow, you got all fifty." Janna said, a mix of impressed and concern in her voice. She was seated on a nearby park bench, watching the events of her bet unfold in front of her.

"Yep!" Star said proudly. With a wave of her wand, all the cages dissipated, and ducks went flying in all directions. "But to be honest, this is a little...I don't know, boring." Star shrugged.

"Eh, better than nothing." Janna said. "You wanna see a dead possum?"

"Yes!"


	5. Chapter 5

Master Roshi landed yet another punch in the young man's gut, sending him flying once again, this time sideways through a nearby tree. Marco gasped, blood flying out of his mouth, as his back collided with the wood and ruptured the bones in his spine, before falling to the ground and tumbling around. He got up, reluctantly, trying to keep his consciousness. He could feel himself slipping. His body was barely holding on, his legs shaking from the effort of holding up his tired body. He breathed heavily, feeling his blood drip down his chin, still warm.

Without warning, he collapsed to his knees. He couldn't stay awake any more. His vision starting going from black to blurry colors back and forth, and he couldn't feel his limbs. Bruises and cuts littered his body, the blood loss draining his energy so much more further.

There was sudden explosion right in front of him. The shock wave sent him flying backwards, the heat seared the front of his body. He had no idea what caused the explosion, but in his last moments of consciousness, he deduced it was Master Roshi.

* * *

Marco's eyes fluttered open, trying with difficulty to adapt to the sudden light as he regained his senses. Strange, nothing hurt anymore. In fact, he almost felt...better than before. It was...worrying.

He sat up, but there was no grogginess or stiffness he usually felt when he woke up. The bright light over him kept him from opening his eyes right away, but soon they adjusted. He blinked them open, looking around him at the colored blobs. They soon became more defined, and he could make out who they were.

"His power level has raised to about 500, according to my scouter." Fujimoto spoke, the coldness in his voice piercing. "Five times what he was before."

"Really?! Wow, that Zenkai boost is no joke." Pink said.

"Yeah. This should help improve his training, if only a little bit." Fujimoto said. "Still, the power level he has to reach is close to nonexistent at this point."

"He'll do it." Pink said, full of confidence. "I know it."

"Based on what?" Fujimoto said. "The only progress he's made so far is with the Zenkai boost. Do you plan to beat him half to death every day?"

" _Near_ death. And no, his battle lust should be kicking in soon. As soon as he sees what he can do, he'll want more." Roshi said. "And just to clear the record, do not depend solely on those levels your scouters give you."

"How can you know that? This boy is nothing like Goku! That much is clear."

"You did not train Goku. Ever since he was a child. He loved fighting, but he had a peaceful nature. It wasn't the all-out, destruction that followed villains that came to earth. He did not kill unless he had to. Usually it was just a friendly spar."

"Hmph, whatever, old man." Fujimoto said. Marco chose this moment to sit up, groaning as his back got used to movement and the stiffness left him.

"Oh, you're up." Lady Satsuki said. "Good, I was getting tired of these peasants rambling."

"What happened?" Marco said, rubbing his temple to ease some of the tension in it.

"We had to make use of some of your biology. More specifically, your biological 'cheat,' as I like to say." Fujimoto said.

"...What?" Marco asked. Fujimoto rolled his eyes.

"It's a part of your Saiyan biology. Every time a Saiyan comes back from the brink of death, their power level increases dramatically." He explained. "It's called a Zenkai boost. We had to get you to a near death state to do this."

"I apologize for that." Master Roshi said. "It was the only option to get you at the level you need be at."

Marco stared blankly at the people around him. They really were insane.

"I'll fully explain the Zenkai to you later. Right now we need to continue your training." Fujimoto said. "Stand up."

"Uh, s-sure." Marco said, standing off the bed. He stood up, expecting his body to groan in protest. Instead, he felt as normal as he ever did, as if he didn't just get beat down. He stretched his arms out, clenching his hands into fists.

"Good, it worked. Let's go, there's something I want to test." The blond man turned his back on the teen, heading to the door.

"This...doesn't have to do with me being beaten half to death, does it?"

"Not yet." Fujimoto said, leaving the room.

* * *

Marco followed Fujimoto as they walked through the halls of the Mewnian castle, all but silent as his other "mentors" followed close behind him.

"Tell me, Marco." Fujimoto said suddenly through the silence, glancing back at him. "Do you feel any different from before?"

"Umm...not really." Marco said. "Should I?"

"...No, I don't suppose so." Fujimoto said, looking forward. "It might be because you're a hybrid, it might take some time."

"Hybrid?" Marco asked.

"A non-pure-blooded Saiyan." Fujimoto said. "Tell me, Marco...are you...hungry?"

The question seemed so out of place to him, he looked around at the others to see if they were hearing the same thing he was. But they all had looks of seriousness on their faces. Marco looked at them confused for about ten seconds, before turning back to the blonde.

"Well-"

" **GRRRWL!** " He was interrupted by the sound of his stomach growling loudly. He blinked in surprise and embarrassment. His face turning a deep red.

"I could eat." He said in an embarrassed tone. In unison, everyone around him sighed in relief, which made him even more confused. Just as this happened, the group arrived to a large double door.

"Well, in that case." Fujimoto said, pushing both doors open with a bang as they hit the walls next to them. "Eat up."

The first thing that hit Marco was the smell. To him, it was like the chorus of a thousand angels had turned into a mist and was enticing him with the aroma of perfection. He immediately started drooling as he continued stepping forward slowly on his. He noticed they were in a dining hall, an area of the long table that matched the distance of the room covered in different kinds of meats, breads, sweets, and random other foods he didn't care to mention.

Before Marco could even think, he was already in a seat, chowing down on an over-sized piece of ham. He was near animalistic in his feeding, chowing down on noodles and chips in between breaks from the ham.

His taste buds were in heaven, never had they ever been stimulated in this way before.

Meanwhile, his new mentors sat around the table, just watching what was going on before him.

"I think we're heading in the right direction." Fujimoto said. Around the table, everyone silently agreed. Except for Marco, who was busy still downing his food.


	6. Chapter 6

**BOOOM!**

An explosion rung out through the forest. A large cloud of smoke rose up from in between a grove of trees, a strung gust of wind disturbing the peaceful motions of the wildlife around.

Near the center of the explosion, a young quarter-saiyan dodged a multitude of blasts attacks. He was suffering from fatigue, making his current movements slower than they would normally be.

"Ha!" He yelled as he shot a single ball of energy towards the sky, aiming at Lady Satsuki. The red-clad woman simply knocked it aside, flicking another flurry at him. Marco flipped and jumped, using all the karate he knew to evade and parry the blasts.

"You're shooting back, but you're not putting any effort or technique into it." She said from the sky. "Hell, you're not even trying to fly. In a fight with a planet destroyer, you don't want him aiming at the ground!"

"But I don't know any techniques!" Marco yelled, moving just in time to doge another set of blasts. _And what the hell does she mean by fly?_

"So come up wit some! It's not that hard to direct a blast or make an energy shield!" She yelled. She put her hand in the sky, letting energy flow into her arm. "This is going to be a beam. I want you to make sure it doesn't touch the ground, while not getting killed in the process! Got it?!"

She pointed her hand at Marco, letting the large beam of red energy out. It grew as it sped at Marco.

"W-WAIT, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS?" Marco yelled over the roar of the beam. A few more seconds and it would hit him.

He put both hands out, trying as fast as he could to channel energy into his hands like Master Roshi had shown him.

The beam hit him, landing smack dab on his hands. He kept his composure, but the ground beneath him broke. He was pushed back as the dirt on the ground moved around his feet. He just barely kept the beam from exploding on impact, pushing back against it with his own energy. His muscles ached from the strain that was being put on them, and he felt the immense heat from the beam.

" . . . rrrraaaaAAAAAAA **AAAAAAAAAA!** " He yelled, letting his own energy out. He stopped moving, and from his hands a great blue energy beam came out, pushing against Satsuki's. It moved up quickly, almost as if it was swallowing the opposing beam.

"Hmm, not bad kid. Let's see how you do with seventy percent." She said. She stiffened her arm as she let out more energy. The beams stopped dead center for a split second, before Marco's beam was completely overcome. The red beam rushed at him.

The young boy panicked and jumped out the way as quick as he could. The beam collided with the ground, and the explosion caught him, throwing him back with unbelievable force and heat. A red light overcame the area, the explosion causing a greater deal of damage than the first time.

In the aftermath, a huge smoking crater was all that was left. That and the unconscious body of a teenager.

" . . . *sigh* again."

* * *

"Ow, ow, ow!" Marco complained as Pink bandaged his training wounds. They sat on a mat on the side of the workout

"Stop flinching, or I'm gonna have to do this again." She said sternly, tightening the bandages around his arm. "You're lucky your only injured his much, it could have been worse if you hadn't been doing my training regiment."

"Your training regiment is why I was so tired in the first place!" Marco yelled at her. She responded by tightening the bandages around his head to a painful pressure. "Ow, ow, stop it!"

"Then stop with the sass, kid." She said, tying the bandage off. "Seriously, I'm your teacher. You should teach me with more respect."

"Sorry." Marco said halfheartedly.

"Tsk, whatever. Just be glad I bothered to bandage you in the first place." She stood up from the mat on the floor, stretching her back. "Now go to bed. It's almost night-time, and we got more training tomorrow."

"Can I at least eat first?" He asked.

"Oh," she smirked down at him, "I can give you something to eat." She chuckled, shadows covering her face like a succubus out to steal his innocence.

"Never mind, I'm fine." He said, standing up and rushing out of the room.

"Hey!" She yelled, starting to chase after him.

* * *

"Finally lost her." Marco sighed, walking through the massive halls of the castle. "Anyways, where am I?"

He had gotten lost a couple of minutes ago, after the third or so right turn. This castle was so big it was like a labyrinth. He walked through, staring up at the walls that were littered with paintings. It was a sight, seeing all the generations of Mewnian royalty like that. Each one looked like they were trying to "out-eccentric" the other.

 _That might just be a royalty thing_ , Marco thought. He would hate to have to live dressing like that.

"What are you doing?" Someone behind him said suddenly.

" _Ah_!" He screamed and jumped forward, turning to face the voice that spoke out so suddenly behind him.

"What?" Fujimoto said, looking annoyed.

"Oh, it's just you." Marco sighed. "I thought you were Pink."

". . . I understand completely."

"I kinda got lost in here."

"Yeah, you're on the complete opposite side of the castle, dumb ass."

"Sorry, Pink was chasing me."

"I understand completely."

"Anyways, were you looking for me?"

"No, but Roshi was. He needed to show you something."

"Okay. . . uh, could you help me find him?"

"Ugh, idiot."

* * *

"Pay close attention, Marco-san. This is a skill that I developed long ago, that I've found extremely useful in my days." He walked into the training room, Marco following close behind him. "I assume you've seen Satsuki in the sky by now, correct?"

"Yes, sir, I-"

"Sensei." Roshi corrected him.

"Oh, yes, Sensei, she was in the sky earlier when we were training."

"Hmm. And how do you think she did that?"

"Uh, well, I guess it was with magic. Every time I've seen someone fly it was by magic."

"Ha, okay, now I'm intrigued. What do you think magic is?"

"Uh, I don't know really. Isn't that what makes it magic?"

"Although there are some speculations on it, magic and ki are actually two separate forces. Magic is a special type of power, one which few are able to use, and even fewer can use at massive levels. But, Satsuki is not a master of magic, she is a master of ki."

"I see. Wait, so then she was using ki to fly?!"

"You catch on quickly. Although, I don't use it, flight is one that many ki users like me and Satsuki do use."

"Wait, you don't fly?"

"We'll talk about that later. Just listen to what I'm saying."

"Yes, Sensei."

"You see, flight is achieved by focusing one's ki, using it to levitate and fly. I think Satsuki described it as pushing yourself up from the bottom or something, ask her later. What I want to show you is something different, though."

Master Roshi motioned for Marco to back up. The young saiyan did so, and Master turned so that Marco could see only his back. The hermit spread his legs apart, centering his gravity low to the ground, one foot behind the other. He cupped his hands behind his back.

"Kaaa . . . meee . . . haaa . . . meee . . ." A blue-white light appeared in his hands, brightening the whole room. "HAAAAAAAA!" He let his hands out, and the beam of light flew towards the wall. When it hit, it exploded, drifting up a sharp wind of dust.

When the dust settled, there was large hole in the wall. However, it was nothing near the power Marco had shown earlier.

". . . Master Roshi, that was awesome and all, but, I used that earlier." He said. While he didn't do that strange yelling, he did shoot a beam of energy instead of a blast.

"Hm, you're really as foolish as Fujimoto claims." Roshi said, catching Marco off guard. "Listen here. What you saw was more than a simple beam attack. The Kamehameha is the result of a life-long martial arts career. A simple beam is uncontrolled, and weak on it's own. When you use your skill to enhance precision and technique, it becomes much greater. You must learn to control your energy, not just push it out. Any fool with enough power can do that. When you can control your energy to a precise point, you unlock a world of techniques and powers you've never dreamed of. If you can do the Kamehameha correctly, then you're not ready to fight anyone. I may not be the expert that Satsuki is when it comes to full knowledge of ki, but as a martial artist I can tell you your current skill set is not enough to beat the demon that is on the horizon."

"I see." Marco said, trying to take all that was said in. "I will try my best, Sensei."

"So you have not been before?"

"No! I mean, I have, but-"

"Save it." Roshi said. "I wish not to hear excuses. Only results."

". . . yes, Sensei." _I had no idea he could be like this_ , Marco thought, _he's really a martial arts master._

"Now, I suppose it's time for me to start training you for real."

"Wait, what?" Marco was met with a smack on his head.

"Do not question your Sensei, boy."

"Yes, Sensei." Marco said, rubbing the spot that throbbed through his head bandages. "It's just, I'm still injured, and Pink said I should get rest."

"I'm not going to push you physically yet. What you need to work on is technique, not strength. I've heard you studied karate when you were on earth."

"Ah, yes, Sensei. I was a red belt."

"Good, so you have at least an idea." Roshi said. "Then, it's time to start training in the ways of the turtle hermit.

* * *

Star walked down the street from school. She just felt walking today. She was extremely bored.

" _UUUuuugggghhhh_!" She groaned.

She had thought about using her dimensional scissors to go see Marco, but she knew the moment she did her parents would be on her. She needed to do something to pass the time. He had only been gone a little more than a week, how was she gonna handle this for the rest of the three months?

"Hey, Star." She heard. She turned to see Jackie skating towards her.

"He, Jackie!" Star yelled, waving at the blonde and blue haired girl excitedly. "Where are you going?"

"I was just heading down to the skate park." She said, stopping in front of Star. "Wanna come with?"

"DO I?!" Star glowed. Jackie chuckled.

"Cool. You gotta board?"

"Like, wood? I think Marco has a bunch in his closet."

"Wait, Marco skateboards?"

"Oooh, a skateboard! No, he has a bunch of wood for practicing his ka-ra-teh." Star said, making strange motions with her hands.

"Oh, well, I think I gotta extra one at my house if you need one."

"Really?!" Star grinned. "I've never rode one before."

"No sweat, I can teach you." Jackie said. "We can walk to my place from here."

"Yay!" Star exclaimed, jumping on the back of Jackie's skateboard. "Lead the way, skateboard teacher!"

"Dude, careful." Jackie warned playfully, and made off towards her house.


	7. Chapter 7

Marco fell the ground, panting. His limbs were shaky and sweat drenched his clothes. The weighted training gi that Master Roshi had given him was threatened to collapse him fully to the ground. He gasped and shook, trying to keep himself conscious.

"Come on, you haven't even been going for that long!" Pink said. "You can do a couple hundred more!"

Marco gritted his teeth, standing up. He forced his muscles to keep going. The orange gi on his body glowed in direct sunlight, the kanji on the back standing out like a target.

He had been doing strength training for the last three hours, and he still had to go through ki and martial arts training after this. He had come to the conclusion a while ago that this would kill him long before any villain did.

"Keep going!"

* * *

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Marco grunted, shooting off ki blasts left and right. Satsuki dodged and blocked most of them, sending back her own. He jumped back and forth through the skies between the large mountains that made their home their. He hadn't quite mastered flying, but he could still levitate, and that was enough for him to go over large distances. All he had to do was keep momentum.

"You're getting better!" Satsuki said. "Now I think it's time for this! I learned this adorable little trick from a Namekian friend of mine."

She let out both her hands, flurries of blasts coming out of each one. None of them aimed at Marco, however, but they surrounded the air around him. He was stuck in mid-air, while balls of energy surrounded him.

 _What is she . . . oh, shit!_

"Hell-zone Grenade!"

The blasts came in from all direction, aiming for him at the center. He looked around and panicked.

 _What should I do? I can't dodge them!_ He thought. At the very last second, he curled up into a ball and charged up his energy, then pushed it outwards in every direction as he shot his arms out to the side.

The first barrage of blast were pushed back, colliding with the second layer and exploding, causing a chain reaction through the attack. Marco suffered the shock wave of the attack, but at least he didn't suffer the full power.

 _Should I try it now? Eh, why not?_

He fell to the ground, getting in the same stance that Master Roshi had shown him a week ago. He spread his legs (one in the back, one in the front) and cupped his hands behind his back

" _Kaaa . . . meee . . . haaa . . . meee . . . HAAAAAA!_ " He shot his arms out and aimed the blue-and-white beam up and Satsuki, the force pushing his descent down. While the first beam he had used against here was raw energy, this was a more precise use of it. It definitely felt different from the one he used before.

Up in the sky, Satsuki watched the beam come closer to her.

 _Hm, first an Explosive Wave, and now the Kamehameha. He really is Goku's grand-son_.

She held one hand out.

"HAAAAA!"

A beam of red energy came out. It was larger than the Kamehameha, it wasn't as strong. The beams collided, and Marco's beam pushed harder against it, causing it to cave inwards and move backwards.

"Pretty good." Satsuki said form behind Marco. The young saiyan blinked in surprise and turned quickly, kicking at where Satsuki's head would be. The kick seemed to collide with her head . . . only to pass right trough it. She faded from sight, seeming to become invisible. Marco stood stunned for a second, before realizing he had stopped firing the beam.

"You're wide open." Satsuki said, this time from the opposite direction. He turned, just as Satsuki pushed both her fists at him. While she was too far away for them to actually touch him, a seemingly invisible energy hit him in the stomach, and he was launched back, crashing through multiple trees.

* * *

Marco dodged a fist to the face as Master Roshi flew over his head. He jumped to the side, back kicking at the old man. Master Roshi caught it and pulled himself forward, kicking Marco in the Stomach. Marco rolled back and caught himself on the ground, jumping back up and rushing at the old man.

Fists and kicks were thrown back and forth as both parties parried and dodged, the sounds of grunts and fists colliding the only sounds they made. Marco tried his best to study Master Roshi's movements as to find a better way to fight against the old man. He aimed a kick at the head of the old man, who back-flipped out of the way. Marco planted his foot back on the ground and shot a fist at him, which Roshi dodged by moving his body a little to the left. Roshi shot a right uppercut at Marco, which he barely dodged. Marco jumped backwards, to gain more distance.

Roshi wasn't even in his muscular form yet, and Marco was struggling this much. Maybe it was because he had been wore out from the other tow forms of training he took today, of from the struggle on focusing on this new form of martial arts.

 _How much was he holding back then? How much is he holding back right now_ _?_

"Stay focused." Roshi said, kicking him in his chin and sending him flying backwards. Marco was stunned for a second, before turning in mid-air and landing on his feet, charging back at Master Roshi.

* * *

"* _Sigh_ * This sucks." Marco sighed and stretched his body as his bones made various cracking noises. "I'm sure that's not healthy."

He sat down in the middle of a circular blue rug in a dimly-lit lab, as Fujimoto typed away on a tablet mounted on his forearm. He was doing a daily diagnostic, measuring his vitals as well as his power level. The one thing he noticed is that this place smelled like a doctor's office.

"Stop complaining." Fujimoto said. "You're improvements sped up greatly. At this rate you'll likely be about a quarter of the villain's power . . . in a year."

"Oh, geez, how strong is this guy?"

"Oh. make no mistake, he is strong." Fujimoto said. "Though he might not be the most powerful being in existence, his power is still enough for him to lead a universe-wide extinction event, planet by planet."

" . . . Hey, what if this guy comes, and I'm not his level."

"You're not going to be at his level." Fujimoto said.

". . . What? What do you mean?"

"No doubt you'll be strong enough to put up a good fight, but in three months you'll never be able to reach the level that he is at."

"Then what the hell is this training for?"

"They plan to make you as strong as him so that you can fight him. I have a different approach." He tapped away at his tablet. "You see, I don't need you as strong as him. I need you as strong and skilled as you can be to weaken him. We sill step in at that point."

". . . So I'm nothing more than a pawn?" Marco said.

"Don't act so surprised. Given more time, it would be believable that you could reach that level. But if you want to save the universe, focusing on getting as strong as possible. I've planned out every step, so you don't need to worry."

". . ."

"I take it you don't agree with your place in my plan."

". . . I understand I'm trying to save the universe, but . . ."

"You're not comfortable being a pawn." He said. "I would say sorry, but I'm not. This is the reality. We either plan accordingly, or we die."

Marco said nothing.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, guys. So, just a quick message to promote my other account, _Stalokills_.**

 **I made that account first. The pieces on this one mostly focus on anime-related universes and powers, while the other account is for ones that don't have those direct influences of stories or characters. I did this because...well, I just wanted to. So, if you like the stories on this account, go check out some of the pieces I made on that one.**

 **If you're not a usual fan of anime related stuff, that account's good for you. If you're a strict anime-only type, that's good too.**

 **Although I suppose working on like 6 or 7 stories at a time might be a bad idea, I have too many ideas in my head and if I don't get them down, then they just vanish.**

 **Anyways, most of the pieces on that already have a decent amount of chapters, so feel free to explore it. Thanks!**

* * *

The next day, Marco was throwing punch after punch in the middle of the clearing in the forest. This was a rare moment when he had none of his masters with him. He had to stick to a strict training regiment, but even the hardest of training requires adequate rest for improvement, so he always had a certain amount of free time to work with. Usually, he would use that to take a nap or write, whatever he felt like really.

But right now he was pissed off and needed to work that out.

Practicing some of the basic stances and attacks Master Roshi went over him with, he punched and kicked at an imaginary opponent, constantly trying new moves and seeing what felt best to him. He needed to practice the Kamehameha as well, but first, he would see where his martial arts was at technique-wise. He went through each punch and kick as slowly as possible, before doing it again as fast as possible. He dodged pretense attacks, throw blows at an invisible enemy, focusing as hard as he could on perfecting the moves with little help from outside sources. He would memorize how it was supposed to look, then commit to the feeling of applying it during a fight. If he couldn't master this fighting style before time was up, then it would be useless to use it.

Marco wasn't stupid. He knew how strong he was getting, he could see it in the effect he had on his environment during training. Not to mention being able to shoot beams of energy out of his hands.

The weirdest thing was, he didn't necessarily feel stronger than before. It was a strange thing to explain, he knew he was getting stronger, but he felt as if he wasn't really changing that much. As if this was always the norm for him. That didn't make much sense, but he wasn't going to spend too long dwelling on it. He had some training to do.

* * *

Off to the side, a pink-haired pervert watched the eighth-saiyan teen with immense interest uncharacteristic of her. No, she was feeling something akin to pride, smirking as she watched her pupil work all on his own to get better, faster, stronger.

While it wasn't enough to beat _him_ , it was enough for right now. She contemplated on the boy as she stood casually in the shade of the trees, not hiding, but not making herself known. Simply observing.

"You seem awfully chipper." An annoying voice interrupted her peace. She audibly sighed in exasperation, not replying to the newcomer. "So, he's finally taking his training seriously."

"Looks like it." Even Pink had to admit that now Marco seemed to be more motivated in training, dare she say even enjoy it a little.

"I did not see the resemblance at first, but looking at how the boy is now, he truly looks like Goku's grandchild," Satsuki said, standing pompously next to Pink.

". . . can I ask you something?" She asked, then went on without waiting for a reply. "You all knew Goku in some way, right? Me, I only ever saw the guy once for real, I don't even know why that guy thought I was one of his masters."

"Yes, Goku and I had an extensive friendship," Satsuki said.

"What was that guy like?"

There was silence for a moment before Satsuki let out her own exasperated and unlady-like groan.

"Where to even begin?" She said, crossing her arms. "When we first met, it was actually through my father. I was taken when I was just a child to see a martial arts tournament. I, of course, had little to no interest in watching people beat each other senseless for seemingly no good reason. It was simply a show of status among my family. When I first saw him, I could regard him as nothing more than a country bumpkin. He was no older than me. Even as a talented martial artist, his demeanor seemed to scream everything I was not. He appeared to be unsophisticated and barbaric. Then I met him."

"And let me guess, he was different than what you thought."

"Oh, no, I was completely right. He was uncivilized, had absolutely no table manners, and completely immature. All the man cared about was eating and fighting. It was infuriating honestly, he was in immense pain. He blatantly disrespected every tradition my family had put in place."

Pink studied at the woman beside her with a curious look.

"I suppose that is why I was so drawn to him." Satsuki looked up to the sky in reflection.

"Really? 'Cause to me, it sounds like he's the antithesis of you in every way."

"Yes, he was indeed," Satsuki chuckled. That caught Pink off guard. The uptight woman never showed any genuine emotion besides disgust. "While growing up in a family with such wealth and status as mine, there are definitely perks. However, there are ways one is supposed to act, things one's expected to do, talk like, and an image to keep. Since the moment of my birth, I was trained not as a master of ki, but as a normal household wife. Do not speak out of turn, do not dishonor the family name, do not embarrass your parents. Every movement was watched not only by the guard of nurses and servants at my family's disposal but by the thousands o of common folk and rival families ready to bring mine down at a moment's notice.

I could not say or do anything that was against the traditional values, and even then I had to put every action I took through my parents. I could not join a certain club because it was 'unseemly.' I could not be friends with someone if they did not have a high enough social status. My very home felt like a prison of practices and expectations. When I met Goku, I was envious of him. He could do and say what he pleased, not having to worry about the burden of the family or the vulture pecking at his feet. But the more you're with him, the closer you eventually feel. At one point it felt like he was more of a family to me than my own, despite how irritating he could be at times.

Goku was the type of person to just make you feel good about the situation. That silly man-child just had a way of melting your heart, even if all he cared about was eating and fighting."

". . . Sounds like a cool guy."

"Indeed." She said with a small smile. Pink looked at her with interest out of the corner of her eye, then turned her attention to Marco. The boy was physically exhausted, no doubt, but he wasn't giving up. It was stupid, anyone worth their weight knew that non-stop exercise with no rest was useless. Still, the determination in his eyes was something refreshing. If he did end up passing out, at least something was gained today.

"Looking at him like this, he reminds me so much of Goku."

"You said that already." Pink rolled her eyes.

"I know."

* * *

Marco ended his session on the final parry Master Roshi taught him. As a martial arts enthusiast himself, he had committed all the basic principles to memory, but Master Roshi had insisted that wasn't enough.

Martial Arts was a form of fighting and self-defense, but it was useless unless mastered. You could learn all the fancy moves you wanted, but you can't always stop and think in the middle of a fight, and get in a certain stance, expecting the enemy to attack the certain way you want him to. A real fight was unpredictable, so you had to have all the techniques able to use in a split-second. Not only did Marco need to be able to access these techniques as soon as possible, but he also needed to know which technique to use almost immediately. Of course, basic attacks and dodges would do at times, but there was always a moment when a more complicated move could do a lot more damage.

Marco sat and looked up toward the sky, staring at an overpassing cloud. When he had first taken karate, it was more out of the desire to be seen as something other than "the safe kid." He never thought that he would have to use it in a fight until Star came along, and even after that, a fight to the death was something Marco never even considered.

"Hey, got a minute?"

Marco looked over and saw Pink looking down at him.

"You're not gonna pounce on me, are you?" He said. She smirked and shook her head, sitting down next to him.

"I see you're starting to take your training seriously," Pink said.

"Was I not before?"

"No. Before you were just doing it because we made you. Now we can start making some progress."

"Hmph." Marco looked back up at the sky. "You guys have a lot of faith in me."

"We do." Pink scooted closer to Marco, who instinctively leaned away. Pink chuckled at this. "You know, back in Trost, there was always some kind of tournament going on. Fighting, jousting, fishing, talent shows, beauty pageants. Everyone was always competing. I grew up like that, always pushing to be the best at everything. The strongest, the most talented, the prettiest. I'm only as strong as I am now because of that."

"That sounds . . . stressful."

"You have no idea. But, after a while, there stopped being any challenge. I was the best at . . . everything. There was nothing I didn't excel at, nothing that anyone could challenge me in. And it got to my head. You get full of yourself when you think you're the best out there. You get arrogant. Until you regret it." Marco looked over at the girl next to him. She was staring at the sky, a sense of pain lingered in her eyes.

". . . what happened?"

"Ah, that's a story for another time." She smiled at him and lightly punched his shoulder. "Let's just rest up."

Marco stared at the pink-haired girl for another second, before looking back up at the sky, studying the clouds.

"You know, you're not half-bad. For a perv."

"Gee, thanks," Pink said sarcastically. Marco chuckled at her.


End file.
